Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings
Methods and Systems for Signal Amplification of Bioassays

Abstract:

Disclosed herein are methods and systems for the detection of an analyte of interest by an amplified assay. The method and systems of the invention utilize the high specificity of biomolecules that have been coupled to a solid support to further amplify a signal produced by the interaction of a binding agent with the analyte of interest as a means to detect low levels of the analyte of interest present in a sample. In certain embodiments, for immunochemical (for example, ELISA or RIA) or immunofluorescence assays in which a protein to be identified is bound directly or through capture antibodies to a passivated surface, amplification of .about.10,000-fold can be achieved.